Summer Infant Prodigy Press Release

Admin

Admin - Webmaster
Hot off the presses. You can also read our Blog about the Prodigy.

Summer Infant Launches Revolutionary Prodigy™ Infant Car Seat and Travel System

Includes Unique SmartScreen™ Digital Technology and SafeGuard™ 1Adjust™ Harness System

WOONSOCKET, Rhode Island (October 14, 2010) - Summer Infant, Inc. ("Summer Infant" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: SUMR), a leading developer and distributor of juvenile health, safety, and wellness products, today announced the expansion of their product portfolio with the introduction of the revolutionary Prodigy™ Infant Car Seat and Travel System. These products mark the company’s first entry into the category.

"Considering 7 out of 10 car seats are installed incorrectly, we challenged ourselves three years ago to provide a solution to address this unacceptable statistic," states Jason Macari, President and CEO of Summer Infant. "We understand and respect the importance of developing a car seat that ensures the safety of its passengers. The only way in which to do this was to create a car seat that addresses the proper fit to the car, fit to the child, and overall ease of installation."

To this end, the Prodigy infant car seat and base includes three key innovative features:

  • First is the completely unique SmartScreen™ technology located on the base. This SmartScreen provides clear, step-by-step instructions that guide parents through a simple three-step process to click, level, and tighten the base. It also advises them when each installation step is completed correctly.
  • The second key feature is the easy-to-use belt tightening system that firmly fastens the base to the car, simplifying the installation process even further. The Prodigy takes the guesswork out of the installation process for parents and electronically ensures a proper fit every time. It also includes a test button parents can press at a recommended 30-day interval, to make sure the seat is still installed correctly.
  • The third key feature of the Prodigy is the SafeGuard™ 1Adjust™ harness system. This system allows the adult to easily adjust the harness straps with one hand - to quickly and correctly fit the straps to the child without rethreading. Regardless of a child's growth or seasonal clothing, the harness straps easily retract around baby for a perfect fit every ride.

In addition, the car seat accommodates infants 4 to 32 pounds and up to 32 inches in length and features a removable newborn body and head support to cradle baby.

Also available is the Prodigy™ travel system that includes the revolutionary car seat, as well as a stroller that can hold a child up to 50 pounds. The three-position handle makes steering easy and comfortable for both mom and dad. A five-point harness contours to baby’s body and a multi-position recline seat fully reclines for newborns. An oversized, storage basket holds baby necessities and a convenient parent organizer tray features two cup holders and a covered compartment. A fully-retractable canopy protects baby from sun exposure and the stroller offers a one-step rear brake that quickly and safely brings the stroller to a stop. Lastly, the stroller folds with one hand and is self-standing.

To help launch the new Prodigy Car Seat and Travel System, Summer Infant assembled a team of experts to assist in the development, such as Courtney Tanguay, who was hired to serve as Summer Infant's in-house Child Passenger Safety Advocate. Tanguay is solely focused on ensuring Summer Infant’s products in the car seat and travel system sector meet or exceed all child safety standards. Tanguay's experience comes from her work at Holtz Children's Hospital in Miami, Florida and, most recently, the Injury Prevention Center at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. She also coordinated the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Providence, Safe Kids, and Kohl’s Cares Car Seat Check programs. Tanguay uses her expertise when working with the Summer Infant team to make certain the Prodigy Infant Car Seat and Travel System addresses all areas of safety concern.

Additionally, Summer Infant partnered with IMMI® who, for more than 30 years, has been working with child restraint manufacturers to provide innovative, easy-to-use LATCH attachment systems and harness systems that give parents the confidence that the child seat they’ve purchased meets the highest standards. SafeGuard™ CPS products are engineered to be easy to install and easy to use, addressing misuse by making child restraints more practical for parents.

Summer Infant is committed to providing parents with solutions to help them enjoy each and every moment of their new child's life and the company shares a common thread with their consumers in that they are parents who always put baby's safety first.

The Prodigy infant car seat and travel system includes a standalone car seat and base, the travel system, and a standalone stroller. All of which will be available for purchase at Babies"R"Us stores and online in January.

About Summer Infant, Inc.
Based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the Company is a designer, marketer and distributor of branded durable juvenile health, safety and wellness products (for ages 0-3 years), which are sold principally to large U.S. retailers. The Company currently sells proprietary products in a number of different categories, including nursery audio/video monitors, safety gates, durable bath products, bed rails, infant thermometers and related nursery, health and safety products, booster and potty seats, bedding, travel accessories, sleep positioners, SwaddleMe® and wearable blankets, nursery furniture, and baby gear including, highchairs, bouncers, bouncers, playards and swings.

About IMMI
IMMI, based in Westfield, Ind., is the largest child seating safety components manufacturer in the world and has been the industry leader in child and bus passenger protection for more than 30 years. Utilizing an on-site crash test laboratory, sophisticated engineering and advanced manufacturing operations, IMMI develops and supplies innovative, proven SafeGuard® branded child passenger safety products and seating solutions for customers worldwide.
 
ADS

Wiggles

New member
Call me cynical, but haven't most of the seats with electronic parts been recalled at some point? If I remember correctly, some of them were recalled for catching on fire... It SOUNDS marvelous, but I wonder how they've addressed the issues that have plagued seats with electronic components in the past. I'll be very interested to keep an eye on this seat to see what occurs as far as durability of the electronic components. I'd hate to see them malfunction or for there to be a way that they could accidentally be 'cheated' that would cause parents to mis-use them completely unintentionally. I mean, if we can't create an 'advanced' airbag system that can detect the difference between a child restraint leaning on the back of the seat and a person in the seat, then how can we trust the electronic components of this seat to properly do their job in every situation?

I guess I'm just worried about people depending on the seat to do the install for them, which could lead to an even HIGHER rate of misuse. Paved with good intentions, etc etc.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
Even with an idiot proof seat, people WILL find a way to misuse it. I must get ahold of one of these and put it to the test.
 

Shanora

Well-known member
I love all Summer Products, so I can't wait to see an IRL review of this seat (Since I KNOW that Canada wont get it right aways....lol)
 

shauburg

Active member
Geez, what'll people need techs for?

To tell people not to use the lower anchors in the center position when the vehicle and/or car seat do not permit it. I swear I see this in every 2nd vehicle I check!

Ooooh, I wonder what it says if you install it FF.

LOL! I can just see c-s.org members doing all kinds of things to this seat to try and "trick" the seat into saying it's been installed correctly when in fact it hasn't! Hmmm, if that happened, would that mean a recall?
 

CrunchyMaineMama

Senior Community Member
You guys are seriously making me sit here and laugh at some of your comments. DD thinks I'm find Wonder Pets really amusing right now. :p
 

robbinsroost

CPS Technician
I can't wait to see this seat. The Program Coordinator for Safe Kids RI left to work for Summer Infant at the begining of this year. I heard it is a nice seat, but it is going to be pricey.
 

Kobain's Mommy

Well-known member
I can't wait to see this seat. The Program Coordinator for Safe Kids RI left to work for Summer Infant at the begining of this year. I heard it is a nice seat, but it is going to be pricey.

If it's expensive I can't really see people shelling out the money for the seat. Let's see $400 seat that will last me hopefully a year and tell me if I install it wrong, or a $100 seat that will last the same amount of time plus seeing a tech for free. I think I'd take the later of the two.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
If it's expensive I can't really see people shelling out the money for the seat. Let's see $400 seat that will last me hopefully a year and tell me if I install it wrong, or a $100 seat that will last the same amount of time plus seeing a tech for free. I think I'd take the later of the two.

Well, people pay $300 for a Peg Perego that neither talks nor installs correctly, so...
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,896
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top